


Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity

by mcgarrygirl78



Series: Fresh Perspectives [8]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drama, F/M, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-06
Updated: 2014-10-06
Packaged: 2018-02-20 05:11:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2416145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“So there will be no yellow bikini and a Glock?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity

“Jack Jack?”

“Yeah, babe?” He glanced up from his case file for a second before going back to the words.

“What did you want to be when you were a little kid?”

“I always wanted to be an FBI Agent, I think since I was three.”

“Seriously?” Stella took a deep inhale of her cigarette. She flicked the ash out the window into the steaming summer night.

“I wasn’t thinking that would be a surprise to you.” Jack replied.

“You never wanted to be anything else?”

He truly hadn’t. Surely when he was very little it was hero worship. His father was a hero and sometimes he let Jack work the case with him. Working the case actually saved his life. After what happened with George Foyet, even though Jack was only four, he saw the dark side of what his father did.

Instead of making him want to be anything but, it only emphasized Jack’s desire to be an Agent. He loved soccer; he loved volunteerism and community work. Deep down though, entering the Academy was always his main goal. It was in his bloodstream; there was no way around it.

“What did you want to be when you were a little girl?” Jack asked.

“When I was really little I wanted to be Wonder Woman. I had a costume and I used to live in it. This according to my mother; I can hardly remember it. I think I was three at the time. Then I wanted to be a supermodel.”

“A supermodel?” Jack took off his glasses and focused on her. “Like Cindy Crawford?”

“She's a little before my time, but yeah. I used to pose for all kinds of “natural” pictures out in the backyard and beg my mom to send them to model scouts. I wanted to be on the runways of Paris and Milan.” Stella smiled at the memory.

“How old were you?”

“About nine. All I wanted to do was look at fashion magazines and watch those shows on the Style Network. I just knew I would be discovered doing something mundane like waiting in line at McDonald’s or getting out of the car to go to school. I was sure of it actually.”

She finished her cigarette, putting it out in the ashtray. Coming down from Jack’s window seat, Stella went over to the bed. Jack saw the look on her face. He closed up the case files he was working on and put them on the nightstand beside him. With a grin, Jack opened his arms. Now Stella was smiling too. Crawling across the bed, she straddled him and kissed his nose. Jack ran his hands over her shoulders, down her back, and cupped her ass.

“You're beautiful; I could see drooling over you from the pages of a magazine.” He said.

“That’s an interesting thing to say.”

“Is it? It’s also true, believe me.”

“I'm going to get my chance to live my dream…well, my girlhood dream.” Stella said.

“What?”

“I'm going to do a magazine layout next week.”

“Next week? You're just telling me about this; how long have you known?”

Stella found out three days ago when Jack was still in Oregon working a case. He only came home last night, Friday, and there were a few things on her mind much more important than her chance to be in a magazine. For most of the month of August the couple had been separated; work kept them both busy.

“I was picked from 100 agents…it’s a big deal. I didn’t want to make a big deal about it but I have to admit I’m stoked. I called my dad and raved about it.”

“Tell me all about it.” Jack said.

“Well _Capitol_ Magazine is doing their annual Empowerment Issue. They have a spread, oh God,” She covered her eyes. “I hate saying spread because it makes me feel like I'm going to be in Playboy.”

“So there will be no yellow bikini and a Glock?”

There was a playful gleam in Jack’s eyes when he said it and Stella laughed.

“This isn’t your fantasy, Agent Hotchner, it’s the real deal. Anyway, so they do an issue every year where they highlight women in positions of power and authority. This year they decided they wanted to take a look at the FBI. I was handpicked by the Deputy Director’s office; me and two other female agents.”

“Wow, baby that’s great.” Jack kissed her. “And we’re sure there won't be any bikinis?”

“Positive; I don’t think they would’ve gone for that. I can't promise that I won't be subjected to the photographer’s Charlie’s Angels fantasies though. It’s a female photographer though so…”

“She might have Charlie’s Angels fantasies too. They can be a powerful thing.”

“There's one more thing and it’s kind of a big deal.”

“Tell me.”

“I could be on the cover.” Stella replied. “I know, I don’t want to get my hopes up but I went to the studio to take some test shots yesterday and she really liked my face, said it was cover girl material. And let’s face it, they have to sell magazines…”

“They need a hottie on the cover.” Jack finished her sentence.

“Something like that. So answer me this, Jack Hotchner, will this hurt or help my career?”

Stella was excited; she was going to be able to combine two things she always wanted to do. She would also get a blurb in the magazine where they would talk about what an asset she was to the Bureau. Still, she was worried. She didn’t want to be seen as a pinup girl by men, or women, that she had to work with on the daily basis. A part of her wanted to say she didn’t care what people thought and move on.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t true. Thoughts of nepotism and privilege rarely bothered her. Stella knew she earned everything she ever achieved. Still she hated the idea that anyone would think she was just a pretty face and not an excellent FBI Agent. She didn’t have to take the job, though the Bureau was always happy to put a positive spin on what they did.

If she declined they would just grab the next girl in line. She was proud that the Deputy Director handpicked her but was it because of her record or her breasts. She was still a newbie, in the FBI over a year. Faces sold magazines but Stella Rossi knew she was more than just a pretty face.

“It will do whatever you want it to because you control your destiny.” Jack said. “You're beautiful, no one can deny that, and surely people notice. But you're an amazing Agent about to embark on what surely will be a legendary career. You're the child of a legend, and maybe one day…”

“What? Maybe one day what?” she put her face close to his, giving him Eskimo kisses.

“Nothing.” Jack shook his head.

“Ooh, I hate that. You’re awful.”

“I love you.” Jack kissed her. His hands slid under her tank top and rubbed her back. “You're amazing, do you know that?”

Stella kissed him again, running her fingers through his sandy hair. She pressed herself against him and Jack moaned. She knew her man, knew that he found her irresistible. While it was surely about more than sex, Jack and Stella had a healthy intimate relationship. As healthy as it could be with sometimes thousands of miles separating them.

Jack had become more creative then he ever thought he could be. Of course he never would’ve thought that he’d be so crazy about another human being again. At his age he thought the opportunity had been missed. Now he knew it had been in front of him all along. It happened just when it needed to.

“You love me baby?” Jack murmured the words against her skin, his lips trailing over her throat.

“Mmm hmm,”

“So I get to brag that a cover model is in love with me.”

“Jack!” Stella pulled away laughing. She loved him so much; loved his sense of humor. Yes, Jack Hotchner had a sense of humor and displayed it plenty. She loved his grin, those dimples, and the glimmer of mischief in his eyes. “You're a troublemaker…people don’t know that about you. Everyone thinks you're a Boy Scout.”

“Boy Scouts would blush profusely if they were thinking about what I'm thinking about right now.”

She raised an eyebrow, lifting the American University tee shirt over his head. Jack’s body was impressive and Stella didn’t mind taking a few minutes to admire it. Then she desired it.

“I think you should get naked.” She whispered in his ear as they changed position on the bed.

“Ms. Rossi, you're trying to seduce me.”

“Would you like me to seduce you?”

Stella lifted her arms as Jack took off her tank top. Their kisses were passionate and playful. She arched her back when his hands roamed across her body. She groaned when his cell phone rang.

“Dammit.”

“Hotchner,” He answered. “Where? Yeah, I'm on my way. I’ll meet you there.”

“Where?” Stella asked. She grabbed her top, threw it on, and sat up on her elbows.

“A ten year old girl disappeared from her bedroom in McLean sometime in the last 45 minutes. I have to go.”

Jack kissed her, getting off of the bed and rushing into the bathroom. He changed out of his track pants into black slacks, a white dress shirt, and black Chucks. The Chucks were so Jack, and one of the few things that separated him from his father. He always wore professional clothing in the field but those sneakers gave him away. Jack told Stella that foot comfort was essential, particularly since he was on his feet a lot while working. She found no room to disagree. Plus she found it incredibly adorable. Heroes wore Chucks…who knew?

“I'm sorry baby, I really am.”

“Don’t be. Go, and find her Jack.”

“I’ll do my best.”

One more kiss and he was gone. Stella went to the window, watched him walk out the front door and get into his Chevy Silverado. It was hard sometimes, but that was the job. The job didn’t have hours and it surely didn’t always take into account things like personal time and intimacy. Grabbing another cigarette and her cell phone, Stella sat in the window seat and pressed 3.

“Hello.”

“Meg, it’s your big sister. Please tell me that you have time for me.”

“I want to know why you have time for me.” Meghan replied. “I thought Jack Ryan was home.”

“How many times do I have to tell you Jack Ryan is CIA, not FBI?”

“To-may-to, to-mah-to. What gives?”

“Fidelity, bravery, integrity; what else is new?”

“Well that sucks. Luke is out with some friends, want me to come over? I’ll bring snacks.”

“Yes, please. I'm at Jack’s place in Alexandria.” Stella said.

“I’ll be there in 20 minutes. Hold on big sis, reinforcements are on the way.”

“I owe you.”

“You sure do, but I love you so it’s all good. Hang tight.”

Stella hung up the phone and lit a cigarette. Her phone was buzzing again; she looked at it and saw the text message envelope. Opening it, a smile spread over Stella’s face.

‘ _I love you, Stel, and I’ll be home as soon as I can. Wait for me?_ ’

‘ _Always. I love you too Jack Jack._ ’

***

  



End file.
